New Zealand

Wine Regions

Our country is a landscape torn from the pages of epic fantasies and ancient legends. It is a country defined by its beauty–a place known for soaring mountains than roll into grasslands surrounded by 10,000 miles of pristine coastline. New Zealand’s majestic beauty is renowned throughout the world and now–due to brands like Kim Crawford–its vineyards are famous as well.

The unique and varied geography of New Zealand helps to insulate our vineyards and protect the grapes from the elements. With grapes grown between the latitudes of 34º and 47º, our growing regions cover a distance of 1,000 miles from the northern tip of the country to the southern coast. Such a large growing area gives Kim Crawford the distinct advantage of a wide range of local climates and soil types to promote distinctive regional flavors and characteristics.

The vineyards of Kim Crawford are located in outstanding, predominantly coastal sites. The grapes benefit from long days, clean sea breezes and crisp nights. In combination with New Zealand’s long and dry autumn season, our grapes ripen slowly, which allows them to build flavor intensity as well as develop a sophisticated acidity. In the end, it is this unique combination of factors–from regions and soils, to temperatures and growth rates–that give Kim Crawford a perfect balance of fruit and acidity. This ideal pairing of elements makes Kim Crawford more than just the perfect wine to compliment foods and occasions–it makes it the perfect wine to compliment one of the most stunning regions the world has ever known.

wine region

Marlborough

It was Marlborough that broke the Kim Crawford virtual spell for the new millenium when the founders rented a state of the art winery and purchased vineyards in Marlborough’s cool Waihopai Valley in 2000. Why Marlborough? - “No other region in the world can match Marlborough, the northeastern corner of New Zealand’s South Island, which seems to be the best place in the world to grow Sauvignon Blanc grapes.” - George M. Taber, noted American wine critic.

The story of Marlborough starts vith location. The region, situated at 41º latitude south on the north end of the South Island, holds the distinction of being one of New Zealand’s sunniest and driest regions. The average daily temperature in summer reaches nearly 24ºC or 75ºF resulting in a high heat summation for the growing season.

During the daytime, strong and warm nor’west winds from the mountains prevail, encouraging flower fertility and ripening. In the evenings, the temperature shifts. Clear cool nights from ocean breezes keep acid levels high in the grapes. This diurnal shift is one of the critical components contributing to the intensity of our Marlborough wines.

wine region

Hawke’s Bay

Hawke’s Bay is in the North Island of New Zealand and is the country’s oldest wine region, dating back to 1851. Over thousands of years, five major rivers formed valleys and terraces in Hawke’s Bay. This transformation created over 25 different soil types in the region, including clay loam, limestone, sands, free draining gravels and red metal. Warm, north-facing hillsides, river valleys and terraces, and coastal areas provide a range of low vigor vineyard sites suitable for a diversity of varieties.

With a climate similar to Bordeaux, Hawke’s Bay is known for producing New Zealand’s finest Chardonnay that is cool-climate and elegant in style. With refreshing acidity, these wines balance terrific fruit density, precise stone fruit and ripe citrus characters, and mealy, nutty complexity.

our winemaker

Anthony Walkenhorst

Seasoned winemaker, Anthony Walkenhorst, joined Kim Crawford in 2005, working alongside the founder Kim Crawford. The first wine Anthony made won the Sauvignon Blanc Trophy at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards and the following year the Small Parcels Rise and Shine won a Trophy for best Pinot Noir. He continues to carry the torch, crafting our bold, unique and vibrant wines that ensure Kim Crawford’s exceptional style is present in every bottle.

Before joining Kim Crawford, Anthony received his First Class Honors Bachelor of Agricultural Science Degree from the highly esteemed University of Adelaide in Southern Australia. To further his wine education, Anthony then travelled the vintage trail to work harvests from Australia to the Napa Valley but finally ended up in New Zealand.

Anthony Walkenhorst

“Being a winemaker allows me to combine creativity and science, which I love.”

Philosophy

Our philosophy on making good wine is simple: focus on flavor. Our master winemaker, Anthony Walkenhorst, describes himself as the ‘guardian of flavor’ crafting wines that are vibrant, authentic and crisp. Anthony has been influenced by New Zealand’s unique natural beauty and uses it to inspire wines with robust, fruit-driven flavors that accentuate a gentle and natural character. Ultimately, Anthony aims to let the original flavor of the grapes shine through in every glass of Kim Crawford.

The Grapes

When flavor is at the core of your philosophy, grapes become the defining factor in ensuring excellent wine. The grapes that we select are grown in vineyards scattered among the stunning vistas and coastlines of New Zealand. Within these regions the climates vary and allow us to select from an assortment of grapes producing the diverse and flavorful wines we’re known for throughout the world.